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meteor； ignited by the rapidity of its course and its friction
through the atmospheric strata。
This fiery mass grew larger to their eyes； and fell； with
the noise of thunder； upon the bowsprit； which it smashed close
to the stem； and buried itself in the waves with a deafening roar！
A few feet nearer； and the Susquehanna would have foundered with
all on board！
At this instant Captain Blomsberry appeared； half…dressed； and
rushing on to the forecastle…deck； whither all the officers had
hurried； exclaimed； 〃With your permission； gentlemen； what
has happened？〃
And the midshipman； making himself as it were the echo of the
body； cried； 〃Commander； it is ‘they' come back again！〃
CHAPTER XXI
J。 T。 MASTON RECALLED
〃It is ‘they' come back again！〃 the young midshipman had said；
and every one had understood him。 No one doubted but that the
meteor was the projectile of the Gun Club。 As to the travelers
which it enclosed； opinions were divided regarding their fate。
〃They are dead！〃 said one。
〃They are alive！〃 said another； 〃the crater is deep； and the
shock was deadened。〃
〃But they must have wanted air；〃 continued a third speaker；
〃they must have died of suffocation。〃
〃Burned！〃 replied a fourth； 〃the projectile was nothing but an
incandescent mass as it crossed the atmosphere。〃
〃What does it matter！〃 they exclaimed unanimously； 〃living or
dead； we must pull them out！〃
But Captain Blomsberry had assembled his officers； and 〃with
their permission；〃 was holding a council。 They must decide upon
something to be done immediately。 The more hasty ones were for
fishing up the projectile。 A difficult operation； though not an
impossible one。 But the corvette had no proper machinery； which
must be both fixed and powerful； so it was resolved that they
should put in at the nearest port； and give information to the
Gun Club of the projectile's fall。
This determination was unanimous。 The choice of the port had
to be discussed。 The neighboring coast had no anchorage on
27@ latitude。 Higher up； above the peninsula of Monterey； stands
the important town from which it takes its name； but； seated on
the borders of a perfect desert； it was not connected with the
interior by a network of telegraphic wires； and electricity
alone could spread these important news fast enough。
Some degrees above opened the bay of San Francisco。 Through the
capital of the gold country communication would be easy with the
heart of the Union。 And in less than two days the Susquehanna；
by putting on high pressure； could arrive in that port。 She must
therefore start at once。
The fires were made up； they could set off immediately。
Two thousand fathoms of line were still out； which Captain
Blomsberry； not wishing to lose precious time in hauling in；
resolved to cut。
〃we will fasten the end to a buoy；〃 said he； 〃and that buoy will
show us the exact spot where the projectile fell。〃
〃Besides；〃 replied Lieutenant Bronsfield； 〃we have our situation
exact 27@ 7' north latitude and 41@ 37' west longitude。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Bronsfield；〃 replied the captain； 〃now； with your
permission； we will have the line cut。〃
A strong buoy； strengthened by a couple of spars； was thrown
into the ocean。 The end of the rope was carefully lashed to it；
and； left solely to the rise and fall of the billows； the buoy
would not sensibly deviate from the spot。
At this moment the engineer sent to inform the captain that
steam was up and they could start； for which agreeable
communication the captain thanked him。 The course was then
given north…northeast； and the corvette； wearing； steered at
full steam direct for San Francisco。 It was three in the morning。
Four hundred and fifty miles to cross； it was nothing for a good
vessel like the Susquehanna。 In thirty…six hours she had covered
that distance； and on the 14th of December； at twenty…seven
minutes past one at night； she entered the bay of San Francisco。
At the sight of a ship of the national navy arriving at full speed；
with her bowsprit broken； public curiosity was greatly roused。
A dense crowd soon assembled on the quay； waiting for them
to disembark。
After casting anchor； Captain Blomsberry and Lieutenant
Bronsfield entered an eight…pared cutter； which soon brought
them to land。
They jumped on to the quay。
〃The telegraph？〃 they asked； without answering one of the
thousand questions addressed to them。
The officer of the port conducted them to the telegraph office
through a concourse of spectators。 Blomsberry and Bronsfield
entered； while the crowd crushed each other at the door。
Some minutes later a fourfold telegram was sent outthe first
to the Naval Secretary at Washington； the second to the
vice…president of the Gun Club； Baltimore； the third to the Hon。
J。 T。 Maston； Long's Peak； Rocky Mountains； and the fourth to
the sub…director of the Cambridge Observatory； Massachusetts。
It was worded as follows：
In 20@ 7' north latitude； and 41@ 37' west longitude； on the
12th of December； at seventeen minutes past one in the morning；
the projectile of the Columbiad fell into the Pacific。
Send instructions。 BLOMSBERRY； Commander Susquehanna。
Five minutes afterward the whole town of San Francisco learned
the news。 Before six in the evening the different States of the
Union had heard the great catastrophe； and after midnight； by
the cable； the whole of Europe knew the result of the great
American experiment。 We will not attempt to picture the effect
produced on the entire world by that unexpected denouement。
On receipt of the telegram the Naval Secretary telegraphed to
the Susquehanna to wait in the bay of San Francisco without
extinguishing her fires。 Day and night she must be ready
to put to sea。
The Cambridge observatory called a special meeting； and； with
that composure which distinguishes learned bodies in general；
peacefully discussed the scientific bearings of the question。
At the Gun Club there was an explosion。 All the gunners
were assembled。 Vice…President the Hon。 Wilcome was in the
act of reading the premature dispatch； in which J。 T。 Maston
and Belfast announced that the projectile had just been seen in
the gigantic reflector of Long's Peak； and also that it was held
by lunar attraction； and was playing the part of under satellite
to the lunar world。
We know the truth on that point。
But on the arrival of Blomsberry's dispatch； so decidely
contradicting J。 T。 Maston's telegram； two parties were formed
in the bosom of the Gun Club。 On one side were those who
admitted the fall of the projectile； and consequently the return
of the travelers； on the other； those who believed in the
observations of Long's Peak； concluded that the commander of the
Susquehanna had made a mistake。 To the latter the pretended
projectile was nothing but a meteor！ nothing but a meteor； a
shooting globe； which in its fall had smashed the bows of
the corvette。 It was difficult to answer this argument； for
the speed with which it was animated must have made observation
very difficult。 The commander of the Susquehanna and her
officers might have made a mistake in all go